US baseball’s prestigious Cy Young Award had never been awarded to a rookie player – until Fernando Valenzuela sparkled on the diamond. (Please note, a rookie in Major League Baseball is a player with fewer than 130 times at bat or 50 innings pitched in the majors, or less than 45 days on the active rosters of an MLB club.) The 20-year-old Mexican-American debuted in 1981, and dazzled the city of Los Angeles and the sport of baseball with his left-handed pitching and overall athleticism. After a brilliant career, Valenzuela retired to become a sports commentator for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Image from todanoticia.com)